“We would like to use this opportunity to thank all of our supporters that have enabled PEFC to outgrow our European roots and become the world's leading forest certification system and to reflect on our history.”

It was back in 1999, when national organizations from eleven countries came together to establish PEFC, responding to the specific requirements of small- and family forest owners in Europe. This was swiftly followed one year later with the endorsement of the first national forest certification systems, enabling forest owners and managers in Austria, Finland, Germany, Norway and Sweden to certify their responsible forest management practices.

The next key milestone came in 2004 when Australia and Chile became the first non-European systems to achieve endorsement. This also coincided with our name change, no longer the Pan European Forest Certification Council, but now PEFC, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification.

One year later in 2005, we became the world’s largest forest certification system with more than 100 million hectares of certified forest area, thanks to the endorsement of the Canadian forest certification system. In 2007 we reached 200 million hectares.

More recently we have seen Japan and New Zealand submit their systems for endorsement, while at the other end of the scale, Finland has just become the first country to achieve the re-endorsement of its system for a record third time.

“But we won’t stop here,” said Mr. Gunneberg. “While India has just become the latest country to join PEFC, there are still numerous countries from all over the world working on the development of their own national forest certification systems – and we are looking forward to welcoming our 41st member.”